Sharanagati - Taking Refuge - Surrendering to God, What are the 6 steps?

April 10, 2009

Dear Sadhaks

Recently in a talk here in singapore mention was made of a verse from one of the

vedas which describes the 6 steps of sharnagati.It was also mentioned that this

verse was quoted by Mahaprabhu Chaitanya and other sages to describe the stages

of sharnagati.

I would be very grateful if anyone could tell me where to find the particular

verse and also where to read up on the 6 stages of sharnagati.

With eternal thanks to anyone who can put me on the right path

Mohan Sachdev

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7. All responses may not be posted and moderator at his discretion, may modify

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Ram Ram

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April 11, 2009

Dear SadhaksRecently in a talk here in singapore mention was made of a verse from one of thevedas which describes the 6 steps of sharnagati.It was also mentioned that thisverse was quoted by Mahaprabhu Chaitanya and other sages to describe the stagesof sharnagati.I would be very grateful if anyone could tell me where to find the particularverse and also where to read up on the 6 stages of sharnagati.With eternal thanks to anyone who can put me on the right pathMohan Sachdev------------------------

NEW POSTING

Priy Mohan,

I dont know whether thre are any rules for LOVE,

LOVE is saranagati, refuge without any condition.

If condition is there U cant call it love, that is business

well Hope it helps,

Thanx

Raja Gurdasani

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Namaste

See below for Swamiji's explanation. Googling for "sharanagati" will provide many

references. GEETA abounds with Bhagavan's exhortations to us to cast aside False Ego and I-ness and surrender to Him:

Occupy thy mind with Me, be devoted to Me, sacrifice to Me, bow down to Me. Thou shalt reach Myself; truly do I promise unto thee, (for) thou art dear to Me.

Relinquishing all Dharmas take refuge in Me alone; I will liberate thee from all sins; grieve not. Chapter 18:65, 66

He who hates no creature, and is friendly and compassionate towards all, who is free from the feelings of 'I and mine,' even-minded in pain and pleasure, forbearing, ever content, steady in meditation, self-controlled, and possessed of firm conviction, with mind and intellect fixed on Me, "he who is thus devoted to Me, is dear to Me.

He by whom the world is not agitated and who cannot be agitated by the world, who is freed from joy, envy, fear and anxiety, he is dear to Me.

He who is free from dependence, who is pure, prompt, unconcerned, untroubled, renouncing every undertaking, he who is thus devoted to Me, is dear to Me.

He who neither rejoices, nor hates, nor grieves, nor desires, renouncing good and evil, full of devotion, he is dear to Me.

He who is the same to friend and foe, and also in honour and dishonour; who is the same in heat and cold, and in pleasure and pain; who is free from attachment; to whom censure and praise are equal; who is silent, content with anything, homeless, steady-minded, full of devotion, that man is dear to Me.

And they who follow this Immortal Dharma, as described above, endued with Shraddha, regarding Me as the Supreme Goal, and devoted, they are exceedingly dear to Me.

GEETA Chapter 12:13 to 20

Whatever thou doest, whatever thou eatest, whatever thou offerest in sacrifice, whatever thou givest away, whatever austerity thou practisest, O son of Kunti, do that as an offering unto Me.

Thus shalt thou be freed from the bondages of actions, bearing good and evil results: with the heart steadfast in the Yoga of renunciation, and liberated, thou shalt come unto Me

GEETA Chapter 9:27,28

Fill thy mind with Me, be My devotee, sacrifice unto Me, bow down to Me; thus having made thy heart steadfast in Me, taking Me as the Supreme Goal, thou shalt come to Me.

GEETA Chapter 9:34

Deosaran Bisnath

: Shree Hari :Ram Ram20th March, 2009, FridayChaitra Krishna Navami, Vikram Samvat 2065, ShukravarIn all three paths prescribed in the Gita the sadhak has to be free frommineness and egoism. In the path of action (Gita 2:71), in the path of knowledge(Gita 18:53) and in the path of devotion (Gita 12:13)."Egoless and free from sense of mine, he is balanced both in pain and pleasure.""Nirmamoha Nirahankara samadukha sukha kshami." (Gita 12:13)One aspect on which the aspirant has to give more attention is that the realSelf is free from egoism and mineness. "I" and "Mineness" are not real, both ofthem have been falsely presumed to be our own Self. If these were truly real,then we could never become free from the sense of "I" and "Mine" and God wouldnot have talked about being free from egoism and mineness. It is only becauseof this that God has mentioned to be free from egoism and mineness.The 'mine-ness' keeps changing. The feeling of mineness that you have should bewith Bhagwaan (God) - not with the world. We all know how to change 'mineness'.The world is not mine - only Bhagwaan is mine, rather I am one with Bhagwaan.Actually 'mineness' is created with something that is not mine - with Bhagwaan(God) there is only oneness. There is oneness with the one who is your own. Theoneness always stays - what is created does not stay.After accepting that "only Bhagwaan is Mine" and when Bhagwaan has said - I willrelease you from all your sins, then do I have to do anything more to be freeof mineness? When I am simply Bhagwaan's then these tendencies are not mine,this body, these sense organs, this life breath, this mind, this intellect allare not mine. But Oh Father! after surrendering everything to you, then too ifthis body at times appears to be mine; then please release me, save me fromthis grave mistake. After saying this - become worriless and at peace !It was only due to considering these tendencies as mine, that I was not able topurify them; because considering these to be mine is itself the impurity -"mamta mal jari jaayi." (Manasa 7:117:ka). Therefore now onwards, at no timewill I consider these to be mine. When these natural tendencies, the conduct,the behavior, the habits are not mine at all, then what is the basis of my fear?Now there is only grace and more grace of God !From "Sharanagati" in Hindi by Swami RamsukhdasjiRam Ram

For ENGLISH WEBSITE please visit: http://www.swamiramsukhdasji.net

For full online discourses in Hindi: http://www.swamiramsukhdasji.org

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Shree Hari

Ram Ram

This is not directly related to your question about 6 steps..... but 6 things will be surely rooted out for a Sharanagat bhakt, therefore could not help responding...

Sharanagati is ..... honest acceptance as Swamiji says - that nothing is ours. Only God is ours. "Mere toh Giridhar Gopal. Dusero ne koyi." Deeply understand this and become free of all six things (see below)

Gita 18:66 is the most beautiful and extraordinary declaration of "SHARANAGATI" by Bhagavaan, the be all and end all of the entire Gita is:

1)"Take refuge in Me alone," (Mamekum Sharanam vraja) and2)"Do not grieve." (Ma Suchaha).Complete sharanagati is acceptance of these two declarations. Swamiji has taken the entire essence of the Gita and given this to us in the form of "Nectar" in two simple affirmations:"I am only God's and only God is mine."Swamiji says, this is the quintessence of all spiritual disciplines. When one accepts that "I am God's and God is mine," all six defects are rooted out.

1) Free from all worries (nischint)

2) Free from sorrow (Nishaukh) ,

3) Free from fear (Nirbhaya)

4) Free from doubt (Nishank)

5) Free from testing our sharanagati (pariksha ne karna)

6) Free from contrary resolutions (vipareet dhaarnaa ne karna) .

The mistake that we had once made are now wiped out forever. The reason we have these defects in the first place, is that all defects are based on one's dependence on the world, including the body, and on one's disinclination for God.To accept "I am only God's and only God is mine," i.e. taking refuge in Bhagavan (sharanagati), neither eligibility, nor capability, nor quality, nor virtue are as important. Only sense of mine-ness (apnaapan) or firm affinity with the Lord.Meera Das, Ram Ram

-------------------------GITA TALK GROUP GUIDELINES: PLEASE -1. Only responses that further clarify Gita message will be posted.2. Quote Gitaji/scriptures wherever possible..3. Limit personal feelings, opinions, beliefs etc. to theextent that they further help in understanding the Gita shlokas4. Be as concise, to the point, respecting sadhaka's time.5. Focus on subject at hand only.6. Do not include links to the other sites; personal information (Ph #, addressetc) or personalize message to particular person7. All responses may not be posted and moderator at his discretion, may modifythe posting.8. Please keep in mind novices, youth, westerners, non-sectarian audience. Limit the use to Sanskrit words and provide English wordbracketed.MODERATORRam Ram------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------Post message: Subscribe: - Unsubscribe: -